My Guitar Label

The classic guitar, unlike other instruments, produces its sound through direct contact of the fingertips and nails, whence the suavity and diversity of tone color.

Vladimir Bobri, The Segovia Technique, 1972





My label, simple and I hope, a bit elegant. (I just noticed a spelling error!)

One of these days I will go to a print shop and have some labels made professionally. I like to look at the labels used by the great makers - Torres, Ramirez, Santos, Barbero, Velazquez, Bouchet - and dream up fancy designs, I always come back to something simple.

I've been re-reading some of Andres Segovia's autobiography in early issues of Guitar Review and realized that I haven't posted any videos of him. Today, there are many detractors of Segovia, which is too bad, he did so much to advance the presence of classic guitar in our world wide culture. I know we've all heard this piece by Fernando Sor a bazillion times, but it's wonderful to watch Segovia at the height of his powers. (I can't tell if he is playing his Hauser or a Ramirez in this short film, I can't get a good look at the crest on the peghead!)



Comments

  1. That's an elegant label, Wilson, which befits a superb, hand-made instrument.

    So much of what's out there today is all about the label and less about the object itself.

    Best wishes, Rob

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  2. Hi Wilson,

    I've never seen a video of him performing at that age. Thanks! Yes, it's fashionable now to dis the old maestro. I like Bill Kanengiser's comments in this interview (http://www.guitaralive.org/kanengiser.html:

    KANENGISER: It's a touchy subject. It was such a different time for the guitar. I think that he was a special individual that did something really monumental for the guitar on the world stage. Maybe it would have been done at some point by someone, but not as quick and not as universally. He had an incredible power of communication. He also understood the classical music world and the business side of it to get himself out there.

    My own personal feelings about it are a little skewed because I was only exposed to him when he was extremely old. He was way past his prime. I also came from the Romero tradition. The Romero family resented Segovia because of two reasons. One was the singular credit that Segovia got, but there was also the political scenario. I can imagine being Celedonio and being imprisoned for being anti-Fascist. It would rankle you if this guy becomes famous for playing for, for,..

    AM: ..for Franco.

    KANENGISER: That's a real thing that has been swept under the carpet. I can't begin to understand what my feelings are about that. It is what it is and Segovia's contributions are there and they are tangible.

    A lot of people say, "Yes, he created this great repertoire, but he was two tables away from Stravinsky and Bartok and Debussy. Why didn't he ask those guys to write for the guitar instead of Tansman, etc." But for all his foibles he did do an immense thing for the guitar, and no one is perfect.

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  3. Where is Colordao? Nice label, btw

    Terry

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  4. Tico:

    Thanks for Kanengiser's comments.

    I was in awe of Segovia and never questioned his preeminence, because he was "Segovia"! My first teacher had studied with Parkening and Pepe Romero so I was heavily influenced by the Segovia and Romero school. Now that I am older I understand that Segovia knew how to sell himself, he had the charisma. A cousin of mine got to see Segovia perform in a high school gym in the Bay Area in 1957, he told me that as soon as Segovia walked out onto the floor he and the rest of the audience knew that they were in the presence of a great artist and not a sound was made by the audience during his entire performance.

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